CadKey to AutoCAD to CadKey conversion
CadKey to AutoCAD to CadKey conversion
(OP)
Are there any direct conversion programs avilable?
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CadKey to AutoCAD to CadKey conversion
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RE: CadKey to AutoCAD to CadKey conversion
I too have been looking for a translator to convert .dwg to .prt and vice versa. I found some shareware software for $99.00 at http://www.download.com that will batch process files. Do a search on "DWG Converter". I was hoping to find something a little less expensive than this one. If you hear of a freeware program, let me know.
Thanks
CBednz
RE: CadKey to AutoCAD to CadKey conversion
To date, we've been exporting Cadkey drawings as DWG or DXF files which AutoCAD can open fairly easily. As for the reverse, Cadkey only opens DXF files, and won't recognize them if they're not the right version (we have Cadkey 2000 I think, and AutoCad 2000i; if you save the DXF file as one from a couple versions ago it will work). The biggest problem we found was that Cadkey will import the AutoCAD drawing entirely as white lines, which as you can imagine can be frustrating to try to see against its standard white background...
Good luck and let me know if you find anything better ($99 isn't too bad, but free is always nicer!)
Erica P.
RE: CadKey to AutoCAD to CadKey conversion
Thanks
RE: CadKey to AutoCAD to CadKey conversion
I don't know alot about cadkey, I do know that when you import an acad dwg that the dims do some funny things. The reason for my original post was that I had a potential client if I could find a good file converter.
Mark
RE: CadKey to AutoCAD to CadKey conversion
[b]just to add a little bit of perspective ... those tires are 73X44/32
[i][u][red](I only built one & the doors slammed shut...the owner of this machine is still running the heck out of it)
RE: CadKey to AutoCAD to CadKey conversion
I have just tried the demo version of CADKEY 19 (and the earlier Cadkey 99)
It now has full blown 3D solid modeling, parametrics, etc and it even opens .dwg files from Acad 2000 / 14.
The 30 day demo is/was available free from Baystate/Cadkey, it is FULLY functional, just a 30 day limit.
Tip!! I found this by accident.
At or just before the end of 30 days do the following;
exit CADKEY
At Screen Bottom left, click START, click Run
Type 'regedit' in the open box, click OK or press return
press CTRL + F, type 'globet', press return
regedit will eventually (up to 30 seconds) highlight the registry entry 'Globetrotter Software Inc.', press the delete key and click the YES or OK button.
close regedit and re-run CADKEY
Hey presto you have another 30 days.
RE: CadKey to AutoCAD to CadKey conversion
RE: CadKey to AutoCAD to CadKey conversion
RE: CadKey to AutoCAD to CadKey conversion
Customization of CADKEY is at a standstill as the company has yet to implement end user compatible CADL routines. The company is also supposed to be working on a CADL converter for update of the many libraries of customized functions that exist within each user company but, just as the application is unable to properly support the update of old routines, so is it unable to provide updates.
The company chose not to include any backward compatibility paths for PRT, PTN or CDL files. There is no Save As that will create these files as compatible with earlier CADKEY versions. If you chose to adopt CK20, which few users have, your designs stand alone and can't be shared readily with earlier version users.
The solution for export is supposed to be IGES which has restored support for solids but neither CK99 nor CK19 did. Also, IGES export from CK20 to IGES import to earlier CK versions has a host of other incompatibilities including text and dimension mishandling and no usable support for Layouts. In short, you'll spend a great deal of time across several file formats to find a mix that will export solids, surfaces, wireframe and detailing. Any use of OLE will be lost. Any associative features between models and views or detailing will be lost. If CADKEY exports improve this may strengthen the link to other CAD platforms but provides no solution for earlier product users as there is no intention to provide import improvements for any of these products. CADKEY Corporations own developers have indicated their ignorance of these problems and their product by suggesting that the added ability to export wireframe in CK20 SAT files is the solution for sharing data with older versions. THE OLDER VERSIONS ONLY SUPPORT SOLIDS FROM SAT FILES AND CAN'T OPEN FILES FROM NEWER SAT VERSIONS!
If your current CADKEY version is getting the job done it will likely be two or more years before the newest generation will gel and provide a workable incentive for update. If you current CADKEY is not up to task then the latest generation is worse still and provides no solutions. Batch convert wireframe and detailing to DXF, export solids as SAT, STEP or Parasolid, export surfaces as IGES and find an application that'll recycle this data and provide the tools you do need.